TMHSDigital · TMHSDigital · Sep 12, 2026 · Sep 12, 2026
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
   "skills": [
     "skills/addon-scaffolding/SKILL.md",
     "skills/ai-mesh-cleanup/SKILL.md",
+    "skills/bake-high-to-low/SKILL.md",
     "skills/engine-export-presets/SKILL.md",
     "skills/operators/SKILL.md",
     "skills/ui-panels/SKILL.md",
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@
   "snippets": [
     "snippets/action-ensure-channelbag-for-slot.py",
     "snippets/app-handler-registration.py",
+    "snippets/bake_normal_high_to_low.py",
     "snippets/bmesh-load-edit-free.py",
     "snippets/canonical-object-creation.py",
     "snippets/canonical-object-deletion.py",
@@ -62,7 +64,9 @@
     "snippets/pointerproperty-binding.py",
     "snippets/principled-bsdf-material.py",
     "snippets/register-classes-factory.py",
+    "snippets/save_baked_image.py",
     "snippets/shader-node-group.py",
+    "snippets/setup_bake_target_image.py",
     "snippets/temp-override-context.py",
     "snippets/usd-export-evaluation-mode.py",
     "snippets/version-branch-skeleton.py"
@@ -75,6 +79,7 @@
   "examples": [
     "examples/armature-bend",
     "examples/attribute-domain-shear",
+    "examples/bake-normal-high-to-low",
     "examples/bmesh-gear",
     "examples/car-mirror-symmetry",
     "examples/coincident-vert-weld",

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ a `.cursor-plugin/plugin.json` manifest so the ecosystem drift checker
 classifies it as a `cursor-plugin`. This is content the AI loads when the user
 asks Blender questions or works on Blender add-ons in Cursor or Claude Code.
 
-The content base is 15 skills, 9 rules, 3 templates, 24 snippets, and 54
+The content base is 16 skills, 9 rules, 3 templates, 27 snippets, and 55
 examples (counts are CI-enforced against README.md and the manifest). The full
 inventory tables and per-item purposes live in `CLAUDE.md`. Example anatomy
 and authoring rules: copy `examples/bmesh-gear/`; the render look is specified
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ in `docs/VISUAL-STYLE.md`; the canonical run prompt is
 
 ```
 Blender-Developer-Tools/
-  skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md   # 15 skill files
+  skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md   # 16 skill files
   rules/<rule-name>.mdc          # 9 rule files
   templates/<template-name>/     # 3 starter templates
-  snippets/<snippet-name>.py     # 24 standalone Python snippets
-  examples/<name>/               # 54 runnable smoke-gated examples (+ gallery.json)
+  snippets/<snippet-name>.py     # 27 standalone Python snippets
+  examples/<name>/               # 55 runnable smoke-gated examples (+ gallery.json)
   examples/gallery_framing.py    # shared Layer 1 framing measurement (render path only)
   scripts/build_gallery.py       # generates docs/gallery/ (stdlib only)
   scripts/site/                  # vendored landing-page build (build_site.py + template)

@@ -17,23 +17,24 @@ The **Blender Developer Tools** repository is at **v0.56.0**. It packages skills
 ## Repository Architecture
 
 ```
-skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md   - AI workflow definitions, 15 total
+skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md   - AI workflow definitions, 16 total
 rules/<rule-name>.mdc          - Anti-pattern rules, 9 total
 templates/<template-name>/     - Starter projects, 3 total
-snippets/<snippet-name>.py     - Standalone code patterns, 24 total
-examples/<name>/               - Runnable smoke-gated examples, 54 total (+ gallery.json)
+snippets/<snippet-name>.py     - Standalone code patterns, 27 total
+examples/<name>/               - Runnable smoke-gated examples, 55 total (+ gallery.json)
 scripts/build_gallery.py       - Regenerates docs/gallery/ from gallery.json (stdlib only)
 scripts/site/                  - Vendored landing-page build (Jinja2)
 docs/gallery/                  - Committed generated gallery pages + hero renders
 VERSION                        - Source of truth for the repo version
 ```
 
-## Skills (15)
+## Skills (16)
 
 | Skill | Purpose |
 | --- | --- |
 | addon-scaffolding | Extensions Platform manifest, file layout, register/unregister symmetry |
 | ai-mesh-cleanup | Ordered cleanup for imported generated meshes: units, transform apply, origin, normals, budget, collider |
+| bake-high-to-low | Cycles cage-bake of high-poly detail onto a low-poly target as a tangent-space normal map |
 | engine-export-presets | Unity Y-up, Godot Z-up, and Unreal centimeter glTF/FBX presets; glTF uses export_yup, FBX uses axis_forward/axis_up |
 | operators | `bpy.types.Operator` lifecycle, `bl_idname`, redo, defensive context handling |
 | ui-panels | `bpy.types.Panel` declarative `draw()`, layout primitives, conditional UI |
@@ -88,17 +89,17 @@ VERSION                        - Source of truth for the repo version
 - Unity / Godot / Unreal glTF export via the engine-export-presets contract
 - Explicit exit codes matching `headless-batch-script-template` (0, then 2+)
 
-## Snippets (24)
+## Snippets (27)
 
 Small standalone `.py` files at `snippets/<name>.py`, each 5 to 50 lines.
 
 v0.1.0: canonical object creation and deletion, depsgraph evaluated mesh, bmesh load-edit-free, temp_override context, foreach_set vertex bulk write, register_classes_factory, PointerProperty binding, cross-version property delete, and the `action_ensure_channelbag_for_slot` slotted-actions bridge.
 
 v0.2.0: Principled BSDF material, driver-with-custom-function via `driver_namespace`, application handler registration, shader node group with cross-version `interface` API, `foreach_get` bulk vertex read, version-branch skeleton, and USD export with `evaluation_mode='RENDER'`.
 
-AI asset pipeline track: `decimate_to_budget.py`, `convex_hull_collider.py`, `lod_chain.py` (helper duplicated, not imported), `gltf_draco_export.py`, `export_preset_unity.py`, `export_preset_godot.py`, `export_preset_unreal.py`.
+AI asset pipeline track: `decimate_to_budget.py`, `convex_hull_collider.py`, `lod_chain.py` (helper duplicated, not imported), `gltf_draco_export.py`, `export_preset_unity.py`, `export_preset_godot.py`, `export_preset_unreal.py`, `setup_bake_target_image.py`, `bake_normal_high_to_low.py`, `save_baked_image.py`.
 
-## Examples (54)
+## Examples (55)
 
 Runnable scripts at `examples/<name>/`, each asserting a real API contract with
 deterministic checks (exit non-zero on failure) and optionally rendering a still via

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 </p>
 
 <p align="center">
-  <strong>15 skills</strong> &nbsp;&bull;&nbsp; <strong>9 rules</strong> &nbsp;&bull;&nbsp; <strong>3 templates</strong> &nbsp;&bull;&nbsp; <strong>24 snippets</strong> &nbsp;&bull;&nbsp; <strong>54 examples</strong>
+  <strong>16 skills</strong> &nbsp;&bull;&nbsp; <strong>9 rules</strong> &nbsp;&bull;&nbsp; <strong>3 templates</strong> &nbsp;&bull;&nbsp; <strong>27 snippets</strong> &nbsp;&bull;&nbsp; <strong>55 examples</strong>
 </p>
 
 <p align="center">
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 
 ## Overview
 
-This repository ships **15 skills, 9 rules, 3 templates, 24 snippets, and 54 examples** for Blender Python development targeting Blender 5.2 LTS (current stable) with Blender 4.5 LTS fallback support. Blender 5.1 is prior stable.
+This repository ships **16 skills, 9 rules, 3 templates, 27 snippets, and 55 examples** for Blender Python development targeting Blender 5.2 LTS (current stable) with Blender 4.5 LTS fallback support. Blender 5.1 is prior stable.
 
 The content is consumed by AI coding agents (Cursor, Claude Code, any MCP-capable client) when working on Blender add-ons, geometry nodes scripts, batch pipelines, or animation tooling. There is no build step. Edit the markdown and Python files directly.
 
@@ -679,6 +679,22 @@ keeps its closed-form counts), each LOD's evaluated triangle count lands within
 survives within 1e-3 — with the aggressive-ratio nose-tip collapse documented
 as the caught failure mode.
 
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td width="46%" valign="middle">
+<a href="examples/bake-normal-high-to-low/"><img src="examples/bake-normal-high-to-low/preview.webp" alt="Bake normal high to low: an unlit tangent-space normal map card of a six-lobe riveted hatch beside the collapse-decimated bronze plate wearing that map, dark studio" /></a>
+</td>
+<td valign="middle">
+
+### [bake-normal-high-to-low](examples/bake-normal-high-to-low/)
+
+Cycles cage-bakes a ribbed hatch onto a `DECIMATE COLLAPSE` LOD. Asserts the
+map is not flat (frac 0.7211, MAD 0.09356 vs `(0.5, 0.5, 1.0)`) while a
+flat-source control is (frac 0.0000). `--flat-source` exits 5. Byte-identity
+across 4.5 / 5.1 / 5.2 is not the contract — Cycles bake is stochastic.
+Neighbor of [`lod-decimate-chain`](examples/lod-decimate-chain/).
+
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
@@ -1024,10 +1040,10 @@ the duplicates, then glTF ships 24 tris / 48 positions / 8 unique.
 ## How content is organized
 
 ```
-skills/<name>/SKILL.md   - 15 skill files, YAML frontmatter, one canonical pattern each
+skills/<name>/SKILL.md   - 16 skill files, YAML frontmatter, one canonical pattern each
 rules/<name>.mdc         - 9 rule files, anti-pattern + correction
 templates/<name>/        - 3 template directories (extension-addon-template, headless-batch-script-template, ai-asset-pipeline-template)
-snippets/<name>.py       - 24 standalone Python snippets, 5 to 50 lines each
+snippets/<name>.py       - 27 standalone Python snippets, 5 to 50 lines each
 ```
 
 ## Using rules in Cursor

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ derives the actual version from conventional-commit types.
 | AI asset pipeline: post-generation cleanup | 14 | 8 | 2 | 21 | Shipped (v0.54.0) |
 | AI asset pipeline: engine export presets | 15 | 9 | 2 | 24 | Shipped |
 | AI asset pipeline: headless template | 15 | 9 | 3 | 24 | Shipped |
+| AI asset pipeline: high-to-low bake | 16 | 9 | 3 | 27 | Shipped |
 | AI asset pipeline: live-session bridge (spike) | - | - | - | - | Upcoming |
 | Stable | — | — | — | — | Upcoming |
 
@@ -95,7 +96,8 @@ Audit pass on v0.1.0 content: standards-version markers bumped from `1.9.1` to `
 
 Provider-agnostic GLB-in / engine-ready-out. This repo does not generate meshes.
 
-- **Post-generation cleanup skills.** Import and unit-scale normalization, transform apply and origin, poly-budget decimate, LOD chain, collision mesh. Phase 1 shipped in v0.54.0 as `ai-mesh-cleanup`, four snippets, two rules. Bake/UV/atlas follow on.
+- **Post-generation cleanup skills.** Import and unit-scale normalization, transform apply and origin, poly-budget decimate, LOD chain, collision mesh. Phase 1 shipped in v0.54.0 as `ai-mesh-cleanup`, four snippets, two rules.
+- **High-to-low normal bake.** **Delivered.** Skill `bake-high-to-low`, snippets `setup_bake_target_image.py` / `bake_normal_high_to_low.py` / `save_baked_image.py`, witness `examples/bake-normal-high-to-low/`. Cycles CPU cage bake; statistical gates, not byte-identity. UV transfer and atlas packing remain a later phase. Template integration remains a later phase.
 - **Engine export presets.** **Delivered.** Unity (Y-up glTF), Godot (Z-up glTF, meters), Unreal (centimeter glTF bake and FBX `global_scale`). Skill `engine-export-presets`, three snippets, rule `use-correct-axis-rna-per-exporter`, witness `examples/export-preset-axis/`. Draco remains opt-in via `gltf_draco_export.py`.
 - **`ai-asset-pipeline-template/`.** **Delivered.** Third template. Headless: GLB path in; LOD set, convex or box collider, engine-preset export; explicit CI exit codes. Pattern: `templates/headless-batch-script-template/`.
 - **Live-session agent bridge.** Research spike, not a committed deliverable. MCP server or socket listener so an agent can execute against a running Blender instance instead of blind `--background` scripts. Built on `templates/extension-addon-template/`. Needs its own design pass. Unpinned.
@@ -136,6 +138,7 @@ Not committed; target list for the next content version. (v0.3.0 shipped the smo
 - ~~Lightmap UV channel witness~~ **SHIPPED** as `examples/lightmap-uv-channel/` — two-channel UV contract on a market cart: per-part `UVMap`/`UVLight` with `active`/`active_render` re-asserted after the ops (edit-mode UV ops clear both flags; `uv_layers.new()` never moves them), UV0 drift 0.0 (clobber trap measured 2.068), every UV1 loop in [0,1], 0 overlapping islands via independent binned strict-SAT (15 hits when falsified), min island distance 0.00401 vs nominal margin 0.002 (`MARGIN_DIV × 0.01` semantics measured live); held `MeshUVLoopLayer.data` after edit-mode UV ops segfaults 4.5.11 (5/5, EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION), silent no-op pack without prior unwrap; byte-identical on 4.5.11 and 5.1.2 (3680 islands)
 - ~~Socket attach-point witness~~ **SHIPPED** as `examples/socket-attach-points/` — named `SKT_` empties as the spawn contract on a survey drone: 7 socket world matrices within 1.788e-07 of the authored transform with orthonormal right-handed bases (Gram 3.576e-07, det err 2.980e-07), socket +Z == the mount pad's Newell normal (1.794e-07) by a quaternion-swing construction independent of the Gram-Schmidt basis, origin on the mount-face centroid (6.687e-08), documented up-axis fallback for the +Z/−Z mounts, module seating offset exactly 0.0 with strictly identity local matrices, rigid invariance under a re-pose (2.384e-07); `transform_apply` on an **Empty** root preserves world matrices (2.235e-07) but clears **7/7** `matrix_parent_inverse` and pushes the root scale down into every child (0.35 for an applied 1.35) — both halves asserted; a child left selected during the apply drifts sockets **2.335 m**; `bm.normal_update()` does not fix inward winding (`recalc_face_normals` does — the lofted fuselage rendered as a flat white panel); no-parent-inverse probe jumps 0.690128 m; byte-identical on 4.5.11 and 5.1.2
 - ~~Vertex-colour AO witness~~ **SHIPPED** as `examples/vertex-color-ao/` — baked occlusion in a colour attribute on a stone village well, checked against a closed form rather than a captured value: the cosine-weighted hemisphere integral for an infinitely wide wall of height H at distance d is `AO = 1 − ½(1 − 1/√(1+k²))`, `k = H/d`, matched to **6.760e-04** across k = 60.0…0.60 (gate 2.5e-03, QMC noise ~1/√n at 4096 samples); unoccluded plate bakes to **exactly 1.0**; strictly monotone 0.508301 → 0.928467; asset values in [0,1] with spread 1.0; **`BYTE_COLOR` is sRGB-encoded 8-bit, not linear** (0.735 → 0.7379107, peak round-trip error 3.782e-03, matching an independent encode/quantise/decode model to 3.189e-07) while `FLOAT_COLOR` is exact; both survive depsgraph evaluation at deviation 0.0; `bmesh.ops.bevel` offsets along **cached** face normals and flips outward past 90° of staleness (12 mm below ground on a ring of boxes, fixed by `normal_update()`); point-domain AO needs subdivision or the crevice gradient never reaches the attribute; `color_attributes` enumeration order differs between 4.5.11 and 5.1.2 — look up by name; byte-identical on 4.5.11 and 5.1.2 (6966 verts)
+- ~~High-to-low tangent normal bake~~ **SHIPPED** as `examples/bake-normal-high-to-low/` — Cycles CPU `type='NORMAL'` cage bake onto a `DECIMATE COLLAPSE` hatch; statistical gates (detail frac 0.7211 / MAD 0.09356 vs flat 0.0000 / 0.00277); `--flat-source` exits 5; RNA identical on 4.5.11, 5.1.2, 5.2.1; byte-identity is not the contract
 - UV atlas **utilization** witness — coverage/wasted-texel closed forms for a packed lightmap atlas (the non-overlap, unit-square, margin, and active/active_render contracts shipped in `lightmap-uv-channel`; utilization is the remaining unbuilt slice of the old "UV atlas pack" candidate)
 - ~~GAMMA_CROSS blend-curve witness~~ **SHIPPED** as `examples/vse-gamma-cross/` — the cross blends in a gamma-0.5 space: `((1-t)·√A + t·√B)²` with `t = (frame − start)/duration`, never 1 inside the effect; mid-cross dips 0.115 below the sRGB lerp from crimson/teal (closed form (0.341, 0.349, 0.463) confirmed per frame); AgX-default sampling poisons the fit (0.146 red-channel error, `view_transform='Standard'` mandatory); deleting a consumed input orphans-and-deletes the effect — follow-up to `vse-cut-list`
 - Falsy `bpy_prop_collection` trap snippet: an empty collection is falsy, so `editor.strips or editor.sequences` silently falls through to the legacy accessor on an empty timeline — always branch on `hasattr`; likely generalizes across the API (found authoring `vse-cut-list`)